JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima said Friday the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will not stop the filing of criminal charages against MILF fighters who killed the 44 police commandos in Mamasapano on Jan. 25.
De Lima added that the MILF cannot invoke the peace process to extricate its commanders or fighters implicated in the murder of the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos.
De Lima she would insist on this stand once she approves the recommendation of the fact-finding team of the Justice Department for the filing of several criminal charges against 90 commanders and members of MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and private armed groups.
“They (MILF) should understand that we would not accept that argument (that they could not be charged because of the ceasefire agreement). We will insist on our position,” she said.
The MILF, in its own report on the Mamasapano incident, said its fighters were merely defending themselves and that it was the police commandos who had violated a ceasefire agreement.
But the Justice Department report on the same incident said the MILF and other rebels could be charged for the deaths of the police commandos.
The MILF on Friday said it would not surrender any of its men involved in the Mamaspano massacre.
“We have long said that we will not surrender them because they did nothing wrong. They were only defending themselves,” MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar said in a TV interview.
“If it were up to us, it would be better if they are not charged with a crime. The only thing they did was to defend themselves,” Jaafar added.
A spokesman for the military said they expect the MILF will not stop government forces from serviing the arrest warrants on the MILF members.
“Once the court issues the warrants of arrest, we will assist the Philippine National Police when they enforce [them]. That’s our major role, to assist the Philippine National Police in the law enforcement operations,” AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Joselito Kakilala said.
He said, however, that they would still coordinate with the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group and the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/04/18/milf-still-liable-for-massacre/
Question: Is it reasonable to assume that senior MILF leaders would be able remain in control of their organization if they are perceived to be throwing subordinate base command leaders and rank and file members under the bus with regard to the Mamasapano incident?
ReplyDeleteThe Philippine government and military seem optimistic that the MILF will assist them in arresting implicated MILF members despite numerous statements from MILF leaders that they would not turn over their members to government authorities. But what if they are wrong? What might the consequences be?
Attempts by Philippine security forces to arrest MILF members who allegedly participated in the Mamasapano fighting could severely undermine the peace process and in the worst case might well lead to a renewal of fighting as some MILF commanders and rank and file decide to resist their arrest. Also defections of limited number MILF guerrillas to other Moro organizations such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, might take place.